the former

Newbury & District Hebrew Congregation

Newbury, West Berkshire, Berkshire

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Town of Newbury

Newbury, a town in south central England on the river Kennet, was a municipal borough in the county of Berkshire. In 1974, it merged with neighbouring localities to form the local government district of Newbury, still within the county of Berkshire. In 1998, the district changed its name to West Berkshire and became a unitary authority, when Berkshire ceased functioning as an administrative county (becoming purely a ceremonial county). Newbury has a population of about 35,000.

Newbury Jewish Community

Although there was a medieval Jewish community in Newbury (and adjoining Speenhamland), the only Jewish congregation known to have existed there in modern times was an evacuee community, founded in the area during World War II, but which did not survive long after the cessation of hostilities.

Congregation Data
Name:	Newbury and District Hebrew Congregation⁽ⁱⁱ⁾
Address:	Temperance Hall (previously referred to as Methodist Hall), Northbrook Street, Newbury.⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾
Formation:	Services were first held in September 1941,^(iv) followed by a meeting in September with the object of inaugurating congregational activities.^(v) However, the first anniversary celebration of the congregation was held in April 1943.^(vi)
Affiliation:	None known.
Date Closed:	Closed in about 1946.^(vii)
Ritual:	Ashkenazi - Orthodox
Ministers:	Rev. Jonah Indech - minister from at least 1943 until about 1944.^(xi) Rev. Sidney Samuel Ginsburg - minister in and about 1945.^(xii)
Lay Officers:	President - J.L. Collier in and about 1943 ^(xvi) Chairman - M. Stern at least 1944 to at least 1945^(xvii) Vice President - A. Bearman in and about 1944^(xviii) Wardens - M. Stern and H.A. Keins in and about 1944^(xix) Treasurer - H. Collier from at least 1944 to at least 1945^(xx) Hon. Secretaries - H. Carr in about 1943^(xxi) - S.S. Morris from at least 1944 to at least 1945^(xxii)
Registration District (BMDs):	West Berkshire since 1 April 1998^(xxiii) - link to register office website
Cemetery Details	There are no Jewish cemeteries in Newbury.

Online Articles and Other Material relating to relating to
the Newbury Jewish Community

on JCR-UK

Press Reports relating to the Newbury Jewish Community, 1941 - 1946.
Newbury Medieval Jewish Community

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.
(ii) This was the name listed in the Jewish Year Book. ↵
(iii) Temperance Hall was listed the Jewish Year Book 1945/6 and Jewish Chronicle report of 12 May 1944. Methodist Hall appears in the Jewish Chronicle report of 19 September 1941. ↵
(iv) Jewish Chronicle report of 19 September 1941. ↵
(v) Jewish Chronicle report of 31 October 1941. ↵
(vi) Jewish Chronicle report of 9 April 1943. ↵
(vii) The congregation was listed in the Jewish Year Book 1945/6, not subsequently. ↵
(viii) to (x) Reserved.
(xi) Jewish Chronicle reports of 9 April 1943 and 12 May 1944. ↵
(xii) Rev. Ginsburg was listed as minister in the Jewish Year Book 1945/6 and is named as minister in Jewish Chronicle report of 11 May 1945. ↵
(xiii) to (xv) Reserved.
(xvi) Referred to as president in Jewish Chronicle report of 9 April 1943. ↵
(xvii) Election as chairman reported in Jewish Chronicle of 12 May 1944 and listed as chairman in Jewish Year Book 1945/6. ↵
(xviii) Election as vice president reported in Jewish Chronicle of 12 May 1944. ↵
(xix) Election as wardens reported in Jewish Chronicle of 12 May 1944. ↵
(xx) Election as treasurer reported in Jewish Chronicle of 12 May 1944 and listed as treasurer in Jewish Year Book 1945/6. ↵
(xxi) Referred to as hon. secretary in Jewish Chronicle report of 9 April 1943. ↵
(xxii) Election as hon. secretary reported in Jewish Chronicle of 12 May 1944 and listed as hon. secretary in Jewish Year Book 1945/6. ↵
(xxiii) Previous Registration District: Newbury (from 1 July 1837 to 1 April 1998). Any registers would be held by the current register office ↵

World War II Evacuee Communities

Jewish Congregations in Berkshire

Jewish Communities of England homepage

Page created: 2 May 2006
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 9 January 2023
Page most recently amended: 10 September 2023

Research by David Shulman and Harold Pollins
Formatting by David Shulman

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